Šlakta
The šlakta were the nobility of Krakozhia after the Russian granting of independence over its Krakozhian colonies in 1863. They were particularly influential in the Gostynskan Realm and the Kingdom of Kolochovo, with the most powerful being referred to as magnates and forming the aristocracy. Origins The term šlakta comes from the Polish szlachta, itself derived from the Old High German slahta, meaning "blow" or "strike". History Privileges Šlakta hierarchy Šlakta could be divided into roughly three categories according to wealth. The magnates were at the top of the hierarchy, being the wealthiest and owning large tracts of land and hence having overlordship over thousands of peasants. The middle nobility typically owned one or only a few villages, but typically also held an official title. The petty nobility were the lowest rank and owned either just a part of a village or no land at all. Šlakta were also sometimes divided between the landed gentry which encompassed any šlakta who owned land, be they a magnate or a member of the petty nobility, and the landless šlakta who were also referred to as the goly šlakta, meaning "naked nobility". Nevertheless, theoretically all šlakta were equal to each other and referred to other šlakta by their given name or as "Brother, Sir" or the feminine equivalent. Forms of addressing a šlakta, from highest to lowest levels of reverence, included "Illustrious and Magnificent Lord", "Magnificent Lord", "Generous Lord" or "Noble Lord", although the most common was simply "His/Her Grace Lord/Lady". Culture Gastronomy Šlakta held a harvest feast called the Obžínki at the end of the harvest season as a way of expressing acknowledgement of their subjects' work. The festival continues to be celebrated to the modern day, and is prominent in propaganda of the Krakozhian FPR. Hunting One of the favourite pastimes of the šlakta was hunting, and to this end they imported Polish Hunting Dogs and Ogar Polskis to Krakozhia. Large hunting lodges (lovny paviljon/ловны павилјон) were built for the activity, with anything from foxes to Peko bison being hunted. Sarmatism Drawing on the traditions of the Polish szlachta, many Krakozhian šlakta adopted the ideology of Sarmatism through which they claimed to be descendants of the Iranian Sarmatians. In fashion, this manifested itself in the form of oriental-style clothing including the delia sleeved-cloak, the kontuš robe, the kontuš sash, the sukman coat, and the župan gown. Practically obligatory was the carrying of a šablija sword similar to a scimitar as part of everyday apparel. Linguistically it also led to the popularity of mixing Krakozhian and Latin in a form of macaronic speech used in everyday conversations. As part of the Sarmatist ideology, šlakta preferred to live in rural manors known as dvori rather than in cities. Religion The šlakta were overwhelmingly of the Christian faith, being split regionally between Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism, although there was also a not insignificant minority of Jews. Regional differences Gostynskie Kolochovo Modern influences Hunting continues to be a popular pastime amongst the ruling classes of Krakozhia, with many former šlakta lovny paviljons having been expropriated and put under the ownership of the Krakozhian Workers' Party. Similarly, the Obžínki festival has been co-opted by the party for its own uses, although it should also be noted that the festival predates the šlakta. Šlakta costumes have seen a revival as part of military uniforms and also as a fashion trend, with this being seen by some as part of a broader movement of renewing Krakozhian culture. Notable šlakta *Jacek Domański Category:Krakozhia Category:History of Krakozhia